Oppenheim Is House Dems’ Chief of Staff

(Dec. 7) – Speaker-designate Mark Ferrandino named David Oppenheim as his chief of staff today.

Oppenheim succeeds Paul Weissmann, who will continue as a part-time adviser to the Democratic caucus.

Oppenheim is the longest-serving member of the full-time House Democratic staff. He began in 2007 as a legislative aide to former Speaker Andrew Romanoff and Majority Leader Alice Madden, and for the past two years he has been the deputy chief of staff, working with Weissmann on everything from policy analysis to cat-herding.

“I have supreme confidence in David,” Rep. Ferrandino said. “He’s brilliant and diligent, he can think strategically as well as tactically, and his knowledge of our state government is strong. He knows and is trusted by Colorado’s policymakers. Now if I could just get him to shine his shoes.”

Oppenheim, a 28-year-old Denver native, is a graduate of East High School and Lewis and Clark College in Portland. Ore.

Weissmann has been a part-timer in the House Democratic office since August, when Gov. John Hickenlooper appointed him the public trustee of Boulder County.